A Foreigner in Britain

Argument. Questions

He thinks that the British pubs were closing at 11:00 p.m and in Spain there are pubs that don't open until 11:00p.m.

Why do people go to Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve and what exactly do they want to hear?

Because is the traditional place to celebrate New Year's Eve in London, at midnight people come and wait to hear Big Ben's but it's impossible because there was so much noise.

Why is the Globe Theatre famous?

Because the original Globe Theatre was where most of Shakespeare's plays were performed for the first time. It was built in 1599 but, unfortunately, burned down in the middle of the 17th century and was destroyed again 30 years later. The new Globe Theatre was finished a few years ago, only 300 years later.

Why are plays only performed in the Globe Theatre during the warm summer months?

Because there isn't a roof over the centre of the building. The weather is more important and it rains a lot in London.

In Shakespeare's time, who played the female roles in his plays and why?

Teenage boys played the female roles because women weren't allowed to be actress in Shakespeare's time.

CHAPTER 2.

Why is travelling on the Tube in London interesting?

Because there are people from almost every part of the world travelling on the tube

and it was nice to see that everyone seemed accustomed to the great variety of races and religions in this city.

What do people do at the Notting Hill Carnival?

Thousands of people go to carnival to eat West Indian food and dance to Caribbean music.

What is a Cockney?

It's traditionally from the East End of London. It's a very strange way of talking, called Cockney rhyming slang.

CHAPTER 3.

Who built the city of York and what was it originally called?

The Vikings built the city of York and they called it “Jorvik”.

What is guesthouse or B&B?

It's a type of hotel in Britain. Sometimes it's called a B&B (Bed and Breakfast).

What period of time covered at the Jorvik Viking Centre?

One of thousand years from 948 AD until 1960's.

What do we learn about the most famous stained glass window in York Minster?

The most famous window is at the east end of the cathedral and it tells the history of the beginning and the end of the world.

What might you hear at night in the Castle Museum?

The ghosts of former prisoners, crying and pulling their chains across the stone floors.

CHAPTER 4.

What is special about Oxford University?

It's one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. 25 British Prime ministers have been educated there.

Why was Antonio disappointed when he arrived in Oxford?

He was disappointed because when he arrived in Oxford there were modern shops, Burger Kings and Pizza Huts everywhere. He expected a town that's full of history, not pizzerias.

What effect has the Scholastica Massacre had on life in Oxford?

Townspeople and university students haven't got on well with each other for more than 600 years. The problem started in 1355.

What unusual tradition is there in Oxford in May Morning, after the May Ball?

See the sunrise, jump from the bridge into the river in their expensive clothes and drink champagne. It's a medieval tradition who celebrates when arrives the spring.

CHAPTER 5.

Give three reasons why Antonio was happy that Nicola had invited him to her parent's house for Christmas?

Because his parents were in the States and he hadn't made any plans for Christmas; because he loved to go to Nicola's parents house as he had never spend Christmas in England and because Nicola's father had an old Bentley and Antonio was very interested in it.

Why did Antonio enjoy himself on Christmas Eve?

Because it was different and everything was new for him and also because Nicola, her parents and Claire made him feel like part of their family.

When do the British have Christmas dinner and what is the traditional menu?

They have Christmas dinner on Christmas day. The traditional menu is Turkey, lots of potatoes and vegetables, good red wine from Rioja and Christmas pudding for dessert.

When did Antonio receive his Christmas presents and what were they?

He received the presents on Christmas morning. The presents were some traditional English mustard made with beer, a bottle of Scotch whisky and a book about Shakespeare.

How do you open a Christmas cracker, and what is inside it?

Two people have to hold each end of a cracker and pull. The cracker opens with a “bang”, and inside there's a coloured paper hat, a joke writer on a piece of paper and a small present.

CHAPTER 6.

How long has Antonio known Gareth and how did they get to know each other?

He has known Gareth since he was a child. Their fathers were university friends and their families always spent their holidays together in Almería.

What did Castle Coch look like?

Castle Coch same a fairy-tale castle like the ones we see in Disney's films. The interior same Cinderella's Castle.

Why does Gareth tell Antonio to give Angharad a love spoon?

Because there is an old Welsh custom in which a young man gives a love spoon to the girl he likes as a symbol of his affection for her.

What three things impressed Antonio at the Eisteddfod?

He was impressed by the magnitude of the event. There were 6000 competitors and 150.000 spectators. There were some children singing who were only 12 years old and they had incredible voices.

CHAPTER 7.

Why does Gareth think Cornwall is a great place to write about?

Because Cornwall is a remote area in the southwest corner of Britain. It was a beautiful coastline, a lot of small seaside towns and very dramatic scenery. It's also rich in folklore and myths.

Why did the time pass quickly for Antonio in the pub in Bude?

Because Antonio invited a man to sit with him and later they were good friends. His name was Richard and he seemed to know everything about Cornwall, his history and his myths.

What do we learn about the legendary king, King Arthur?

We learn that King Arthur was born in Tintagel Castle, in Cornwall the legends say that Merlin, Arthur's teacher, lived in a cave below Tintagel Castle.

How successful was Antonio's article for the magazine?

He didn't win the competition, but they published his history.

CHAPTER 8.

In Britain, what happens to famous people like pop stars, actors and football players?

Famous people can't go anywhere without being followed by a photographer from one of the Tabloid newspapers.

What does Antonio say about queuing in Britain?

He doesn't like waiting in queues, but the British queue for everything and he said that they always stand in tidy lines, not like the big groups of people in Spain.

What is special about the libraries in Britain?

Libraries in Britain are wonderful places where you can find not only books; you can also find records, cassettes and videos. Many libraries also have Internet nowadays.

CHAPTER 9.

Apart from being one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, why is Edinburgh an interesting place for tourists to visit?

It's dominated by a medieval castle on a volcanic rock, it has a fascinating history and there is a lot to see, and because it's the home of one of the best summer festival in the world.

Explain briefly how Antonio and Martin met.

They met at school in Spain. They were 14 years old. He came on an exchange with a school from Edinburgh. He was in Spain for three weeks; he was the most popular person in his class. They soon discovered that they had a lot in common and they became good friends.

What type of performances can you see at the Edinburgh Festival?

There is an official programme of classical music, opera, theatre and comedy. The Festival Fringe is another unofficial festival. There are lots of free performances every night and hundreds more that you pay to go and see. You can pay anything from one pound upwards. In the street you can see clowns, mime artists in custom and musicians playing alone and in groups.

How do the actors at the Edinburgh Festival advertise their shows?

They give leaflets to the people.

Who was the first king of both England and Scotland?

Where was he born and when did he become king?

King James VI of Scotland and King James I of England.

He was born in Edinburgh Castle. He became king in 1603.

CHAPTER 10.

What are the Highland Games?

There is a competition of the traditional Scottish sports. The competition is called “Tossing the Caber”.

What is tartan and what is made from it?

It's the special pattern in the material that kilts are made from the material with the different coloured squares. Nowadays, there are more than 2000 different patterns. Some of them are officially recognised and some aren't. Historically, every “clan” or family has it own pattern.

What is Nessie?

Nessie is the Loch Ness monster.

According to tradition, what three presents must be brought to someone's house at Hogmanay, and why?

A man with black hair must bring a piece of coal, so that the house will always be warm, a bag of salt, so that the family will always have something to eat and a bottle of whisky, so that the family will always have something to drink.